There’s a ton of information to get to about Downtown Disney’s transformation into Disney Springs, so we’ll jump right in. In case you’ve missed the news, Downtown Disney is undergoing a major remodel to become a multi-“neighborhood” shopping district called Disney Springs. New restaurants, shops, and entertainment are all on their way and the district is slated to be finished in 2016. There are tons of changes already, and we’re going to walk you through them and how they may change your trip.
First, a quick reminder of what Disney Springs is slated to look like when it’s finished. This will help understand the photos as we go.
First things first, the roadways around Downtown Disney are being widened. The construction has led to some interesting traffic patterns in the area and scattered parking on the north and south sides of Buena Vista Drive as work continues.
Starting on the West Side of Downtown Disney, which isn’t changing too much from its current state as far as shopping and entertainment, one of two planned parking garages is now open. Traffic is being directed to this garage until it’s full, at which point traffic is directed to the far West lot and surrounding lots at the Hess Station and Team Disney buildings. It’s often much less trouble to either take the resort buses if you’re on property, or park in the far West lot and skip the garage if you can.
Once you turn into the garage entrance by Planet Hollywood, signs direct the flow of traffic.
The garage interior is fairly well-planned and well lit. Plenty of handicap parking is available and for the moment, cast members direct parking.
There’s currently a walkway from the garage to the path between DisneyQuest and Cirque.
Christmas decorations are up on the West Side celebrating Festival of the Seasons.
Splittsville is also festively decked.
In the center of the sidewalk just in front of Splittsville, a piece of the high line walkway is being constructed. This will eventually be a walkway that leads from the garage and connects the West  Side to some of the new offerings.
Further down, pieces of the high line are already finished.
And, after what seems like forever, Exposition Park is open and is now the permanent home of the food trucks.
The park has its own special Christmas “tree” and some poinsettia decorations, which seem to be at an all-time high this year around property.
Now that construction walls are down around Exposition Park, all of the new Starbucks is visible and the restrooms on the outside of the building are fully accessible.
Across the sidewalk, some of the walkway to AMC Fork & Screen and Planet Hollywood has been unwalled.
And, for the first time in a long time, the walkway through the former Pleasure Island is open and some of the new facades are visible.
Here and there, details of the new Disney Springs theming like this lamp post and brick walkway are popping up.
Concept art of the areas still under construction on Pleasure Island shows us what’s coming.
Down the path, new facades are visible, though we don’t know what these buildings will be just yet.
As the path widens, you can now take a right to Raglan Road or continue straight for added venues.
The Pleasure Island sign has been changed to a Springs Bottling. Co. sign in keeping with the new theme.
A new performance/seating area has been added.
To its left the shell of more retail and restaurant space.
To the right of the theater, the Boathouse, which will house upscale waterfront dining, rises high.
Around toward the marketplace, the Raglan Road walkway is closed just past the gift shop and temporary outdoor seating has been added.
The pavement changes near Portobello are complete and two new kiosks have been added. One has novelty barware and the other sells gifts.
Into the Marketplace there are new pathways and planters and the pedestrian bridge from Rainforest to World of Disney is nearing completion.
Next to World of Disney, Santa’s Chalet is set up. Santa meets daily from 12:00 p.m. to 9:30. Goofy Santa will meet from December 25-29Â from 3:00 to 9:30. A new notification system is in place that gets you return time slip or text if the wait extends to more than 30 minutes.
Over at the Marketplace Co-Op, they have a ton of Christmas custom case designs that are new.
And next to Once Upon a Toy, the Marketplace tree is up.
At the 365 Days of Christmas, the holidays are in full swing and the room at the end of the store that was once dedicated to Nightmare Before Christmas has been fully overtaken By Frozen.
That’s the Downtown Disney update for now. Stay tuned as Disney Springs develops!
I WISH I WAS THERE